Pediatric chronic hand eczema: Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management

Michael A Haft; Helen H Park; Stephanie S Lee; Jessica M Sprague; Lawrence F Eichenfield

doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2023.02.008

Pediatric chronic hand eczema: Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management

JAAD Int. 2023 Feb 27:11:165-173. doi: 10.1016/j.jdin.2023.02.008. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Authors

Michael A Haft^{1

2}, Helen H Park^{1

2}, Stephanie S Lee^{1

2}, Jessica M Sprague^{1

2}, Lawrence F Eichenfield^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Dermatology, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California.
² Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California.
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California.

Abstract

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is persistent inflammatory dermatitis that may significantly affect the quality of life, with psychosocial effects, impact on school, work, and leisure activities, influence on socioeconomic status, and high health care costs. Pediatric-CHE (P-CHE) has a high prevalence yet has not been extensively studied in children and adolescents. There is minimal published data on P-CHE in North America, and no specific management guidelines. Limited prevalence data show broad ranges (0.9%-4.4%) in preschool and school children, with 1 study stating up to 10.0% 1-year prevalence for ages 16 to 19 years. Atopic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis appear important in the pathogenesis of this disease process, although there is limited pediatric data assessing disease associations and no standardized methodology for evaluating this disorder. Given the potential life-changing consequences of P-CHE, further research into this disease process is warranted to help generate best therapeutic practices and minimize this disease process' morbidity in adulthood.

Keywords: adolescent; child; childhood; children; chronic; dermatitis; eczema; hand; literature; manus; pediatric; persistent; questions; recalcitrant; review; skin; summary; teenage; teenager; young.